Gunther Sonnenfeld

Hey! Thanks for stopping by. This is a directory for my digital life and the artifacts I create. By trade, I'm a social technologist, serial entrepreneur, advisor and international speaker. By passion, I'm an artist and a storyteller. I'm driven by an unquenchable curiosity, so if you like some of things I do and talk about, feel free to contact me.

K5 is a startup accelerator based in Southern California. I am a mentor in the program. Our goal is to help build 1000 culturally-minded and socially aware companies in 10 plus cities over the next 5 years.

Heardable (my company)

Heardable (my company)

I am the co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of Heardable, a brand intelligence platform. We have a consultancy arm called "Growth" that services a number of media, holding and portfolio companies all over the world.

I develop technologies that improve information systems (to include all forms of media, and all types of data), and I design platforms that enable organizations to innovate with a strong social conscience.

The three companies I represent are a troika of modular product/applied innovation/adaptive tech, and with my advisory roles, I work globally. While in the U.S., I split time between coasts.

I have been involved with 50+ ventures, experienced two exits, and been a part of teams that have enjoyed several others. I've been fortunate to touch domains stretching across 'big data', journalism, digital media, alternative currency, cognitive science, adaptive analytics, as well as business intelligence. I speak about the related challenges, and I relish the lessons I continue to learn from experimentation.

A holistic approach to life and business has taken me to six different continents, where I have provided thought leadership to groups spanning finance, consumer products, media, government and NGO. I've received some awards in executive positions (Omnicom Group, 3D Pipeline) and have had access to high-profile startups as a partner in an accelerator (K5 Ventures). Yet, the real gifts have been enabling the transformations of people innovating beyond the capacities of their vocations and their industries.

Later this year, I will be self-publishing a new book entitled "Dreamweaving" on the Paperlet platform, which I co-developed and is being piloted in schools across the U.S.

Luman (meaning "enlightened human") is a social innovation co-op that uses empathic approaches to transforming organizational structures. We apply unique uses of storytelling, data integration and experience design to rapid prototype solutions to complex or 'wicked' problems spanning product development, policy reform, as well as the identification of new, 'emerging markets'. A hub-and-spoke model, we tap into a global network and the collective intelligence of leading-edge thinkers, inventors, investors, as well as specialty domain experts, and we have a database of both proprietary and Commons I.P.

Feb
2014 - Present

Chief Innovation Officer / Faveeo

Faveeo is a new social intelligence platform designed to help companies and organizations make more efficient and profitable decisions, which includes how they can better empower employees and their ecologies, as well as identifying emerging markets. Faveeo is already helping brands create new profit centers involving R&D, marketing and tier 2 initiatives. Our offering is a highly unique version of what Marc Andreessen coins as "rebundling"; we seek to reinvent how digital media can be used as the ultimate utility, to transition consumption and sharing well beyond impressions-based models. I am responsible for enabling product development and applied innovation across our unique suite of web aggregation, content discovery, knowledge graph, influencer analysis and dynamic publishing capabilities. I also work closely with CEO Alexis Dufresne in developing our strategic positioning, and levering client/partner relationships with the likes of Cisco, Bombardier, SAP, Nestle, The World Health Organization, The International Red Cross and a host of other reputable orgs. We just closed a seed round ($1.1mm USD), and have a very steady run rate. We will be preparing another round within the next 6-8 months.

Jan
2014 - Present

Partner / Codemonkeys(.us)

Codemonkeys is an adaptive technology outfit that is platform agnostic, and capable of creating extensible code in any programming language. We are a project-management driven, hub-and-spoke operation that leverages a network of top-notch front-end, back-end and specialty teams around the globe. Our current projects include the build-out of the OTT platform for Revolt.TV, application suites for XBox One and Samsung, social network development for a new Crowne family venture, a cryptoledgering system for a private bank, and several other large parallel database and mobile application builds. In order to properly manage workflow, we are a referral-only shop. Approximately 65% of our work is project/service-based, 35% dedicated to proprietary product builds.

Aug
2012 -
Dec
2014

Principal / Company GS II, Inc.

This is an entity set up for co-development and consulting engagements I have with a variety of creative agencies (Orci-COr, Omnicom, WPP, IPG), technology companies (Facebook, Google Labs, Twitter), and media entities (studios, networks, hybrids). This is also used to manage my advisory roles, as well as speaking gigs and the innovation work I do around the world.

In a hub-and-spoke capacity, I leverage my network and skills to partner up on leading-edge initiatives for companies looking to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Sometimes these efforts are creative, sometimes strategic, sometimes technological, sometimes transactional, sometimes all. My remuneration is often a hybrid of fees plus equity, as I like to have skin in the game and remain invested in the long-term success of a platform (and hopefully build up a new market as well).

I also work with various thought leaders and government agencies to help shape policy formation. This is critical to our future as storytellers, investors, business leaders, technology providers and media creators.

My intention has always been to merge commerce systems and cultural systems in meaningful ways. Nothing good comes of business and industry without social advancement.

Mar
2012 -
Dec
2014

Venture Partner / K5Launch

I am responsible for developing innovation initiatives for entrepreneurs and early stage businesses, to include business modeling ("Validate"), product and leadership development ("Insights") and community building programs (such as the recent Cisco series). While we have a fund that invests in startups, our mission is to turn our innovation platform into a profit center such that we can "reinvest'" into businesses and build up the market itself.

Mar
2009 -
Aug
2012

Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer / Heardable, Inc.

Heardable provides contextual brand analytics and market intelligence for companies that want to make better business decisions.

Jan
2009 -
Jan
2012

Co-Founder & Managing Partner / ThinkState Holdings

ThinkState is data & knowledge innovation company. We are building UBIQUID.US -- a suite of creative online tools for the collaborative economy.

Nov
2009 -
Oct
2011

SVP, Cultural Innovation & Applied Technology / RAPP

I lead a group that combines media, communications and technology planning disciplines (experience planning), as well as the agency's emerging transmedia practice. I also co-manage and develop the agency's centralized Cultura offering and RAPP Labs, unique brand solutions that combine cultural/digital anthropology, social communication & adaptive analytics. As a strategic lead for our clients, most of my time is spent on the Toyota, Skype and Adobe accounts, although I actively work on different types of business across the global network.

Jul
2009 -
Jan
2011

Co-Founder / Institute for Collective Intelligence

Led by Brendan Howley and a committee of esteemed writers, academics, filmmakers, marketers, technologists and philanthropists, ICI is an affiliate-supported initiative, backed by an ongoing effort to help build local infrastructure, enable job creation and empower arts & education through the use of transmedia development and collaborative storytelling.

The initiative also seeks to employ microfinancing (peer 2 peer lending) as a means to subsidize specific community projects and enlist sponsorship at formative points from major corporations.

Jun
2008 -
May
2009

SVP, Digital & Social Media / DEI Worldwide

A founding member of WOMMA (CEO David Reis co-authored the Ethics Code for the industry), DEI Worldwide is a leader in social media marketing, with specialties in conversational outreach, integrated strategies, market research and application development. In a nutshell, we find conversations online about brands, join them with full disclosure and authenticity, and then effectively activate purchase intent. My primary role is to develop cross-platform strategies and technology solutions that empower brand engagement for clients such as Kraft, Safeway and Motorola, as well as nurture developing partnerships with companies such as Pfizer, Konami Digital Entertainment and JP Morgan.

Wrote, produced and sometimes directed show segments, on-air promos and later digital assets for day-and-date shows (Access Hollywood et al), special events (Olympics), and various syndicated show content.

Jun
1994 -
Feb
1995

On-Air Writer/Producer / Paramount Domestic Television

Wrote and produced on-air promos and image campaigns for Paramount syndicated show content.

Education

1990
-
1994

University of Southern California

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
in
Philosophy
Activities: B.S. in Philosophy with Minors in English and Media Studies